The Sudanese military announced on Friday that it had regained control of the Republican Palace and key government facilities in central Khartoum after a four-day siege, marking a significant setback for the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In a televised statement, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) spokesman Nabil Abdalla confirmed that army troops had expelled RSF fighters from the presidential complex, the bustling Al Souq Al-Arabi Market, and several key ministries.
This success is part of a broader offensive launched in September 2024, aimed at recapturing territory seized by the RSF since the conflict erupted in April 2023.
However, the RSF disputed reports of defeat, claiming its forces still operated near the palace and had killed 89 SAF soldiers in a counterattack. “The battle continues. We will reclaim all positions,” the RSF declared in a statement.
A military source, speaking to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, reported that a drone strike targeted a group of soldiers and journalists in the palace’s outer courtyard, killing at least 10 people, including military personnel and media representatives.
SAF commander and head of the Transitional Military Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, vowed to continue the campaign.
“Our forces are making steady progress, and we will not turn back,” Al-Burhan stated during a visit to Gezira State, according to the sovereign council.
Government spokesman Khalid Ali Aleisir described RSF fighters as “fleeing” the capital and urged them to surrender. Meanwhile, SAF operations commander Mohamed Abdul-Rahman Al-Belawi announced the army’s next objective: retaking the RSF-held Khartoum Airport, pledging to “fully clear the capital.”
The conflict has pitted the SAF against the RSF, a paramilitary group led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, once Al-Burhan’s deputy and ally. The nearly two-year war has claimed the lives of almost 30,000 people, according to figures cited by the United Nations.
Since late 2023, the SAF has reclaimed large areas of central Khartoum, parts of Bahri city, and strategic locations such as Wad Madani in Gezira State. A military source also confirmed recent advances in Omdurman, where SAF forces have captured neighborhoods in the Umbada district.
Despite these gains, the RSF continues to hold pockets of territory in rural areas of Gezira State and parts of Khartoum.
